Costumes made/modeled by Yaya between 1999 - now.

Midnight Wings - Nene Thomas artwork

Why I chose to make this costume:

Since I befriended fantasy artist Nene Thomas a few years ago, we've always talked about constructing costumes based on her elaborate designs. This year I finally got around to devoting a great deal of time to recreate one of Nene's painted beauties.

How I made this costume:

I chose a lavish black sparkly fabric for the steel boned corset, which has a lace inset in the front, trimmed in powder blue. The overskirt was made of multiple layers of sheers and same sparkly fabric, hand tattered and ripped. I luckily found a bridal fabric with the same floral design as the painting for the creme underskirt. The bows, bonnet and lace choker were fun accessories to make. I once again combined two wigs to achieve the full hair for the character.

As for the feather wings, I used the same method as my smaller pairs, made with individually shaped turkey feathers. The shape of the wings differs deliberately from the Painting, they are tucked in so I could maneuver through the crowded halls at Dragoncon (it was still a pain). I also wanted them to look somewhat realistic, and yet manga-ish with the long hanging feathers. Because my shoulders are uncovered in this outfit, I had to rig the wings to the corset, and use clear bra-straps to support them at the top.

Thoughts on this costume:

Yay Nene art! Even though this costume is as much of a pain to wear and transport as Yuna, I am REALLY excited I got to make it. The motivation was definitely: Must do Nene's work justice! And since she seems happy about this one, the thought turns to: Must make more Nene costumes!

About Yaya

Yaya Han® is one of only few cosplayers in the world to build a business in this hobby-ist community, but even after a decade of success, she strives to stay true to what got her into this field originally - fun and creativity. To this day, Yaya has made a myriad of costumes in the genres of anime, manga, video games, sci-fi, comic books and of course from her own original designs. Her intricate and lavish creations have won awards and acclaim worldwide, and she has been invited to appear as a Guest, Panelist, Judge, Performer and Host to hundreds conventions and other events all over the globe.